The present invention relates to prevention of vehicle theft and, more particularly, to the prevention of vehicle theft using a combination of electronic or mechanical control and physical armored encapsulation.
Vehicle theft is a well-known and widespread crime, causing severe financial damage and affecting the public sense of well-being and morale.
Numerous motor vehicle anti-theft devices are known in the art. These include, inter alia, mechanical locks, electronic alarm systems, electronic engine immobilizers, automatic vehicle location systems and devices for disabling the fuel supply to the engine.
There are a variety of mechanical devices which are designed to prevent the theft of automotive vehicles, by disabling the steering wheel or the gear shift of the vehicle. One commonly known anti-theft mechanical device is manufactured as a rod having hooks at both ends, one for attaching to the steering wheel and the other for attaching to, e.g., the brake pedal. When attached, the rod prevents independent use of the steering wheel and brake, making driving impossible. Such a prior art mechanical device is lengthy and inconvenient and can be defeated by cutting the steering wheel rim or the device by a power saw, or by a skilled lock picker.
Another commonly known anti-theft mechanical device is a lock for disabling the gear shift of the vehicle. The lock includes a base and a rod, and in use, the base is fastened to the body of the vehicle near the gear shift so that, while the vehicle is parked, the gear shift is locked between the base and the rod of the lock and cannot be moved. Again, cutting the gearshift lever by a power saw or skilled lock picking is usually sufficient to defeat the device.
Conventional alarm type theft preventing devices typically comprise a control unit, a loud speaker, a plurality of sensors and a remote controller. The control unit and the loud speaker are installed in the inside of the car, while the remote controller is used for transmitting a control signal to turn the control unit on or off. When the control unit is turned on, it is capable of triggering the loud speaker to give off an alarm signal to frighten the burglar and alert passers-by. Nowadays, it is appreciated that alarm signals themselves are ignored by passers by and thus do not in themselves deter the thief. Thus alarms are typically further equipped with some kind of engine immobilizer. In one kind of immobilizer the power source of the starter is shut off whilst the alarm is given off. Such an immobilizer is only partly successful as often the thief is able to start the vehicle before the alarm is set off, or he is able to disable the alarm. Alternatively, the thief can disable or reduce the operation of the loud speaker by inserting a foamy material thereto. Other known systems choke off the fuel supply to the engine.
A common drawback for many of the anti-theft systems is the ability of the thief to access the anti-theft system thereby to disable it. Some systems offer an armored enclosure to serve as defense against violent attacks of the switching device, and against attempts to tamper with the security system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,288,778 to Zucker teaches a method of using digital electronic anti-theft system integrally formed with a vehicle component.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,709 to Betton discloses an electronic ignition system in which electronic circuitry is located in an auxiliary metallic housing which is configured to surround both the solenoid and starter motor of the vehicle. The electrical interconnection between the circuitry and the solenoid are accomplished within the protection of the auxiliary housing. U.S. Pat. No. 4,533,016 to Betton, discloses an electronic circuit enclosed within a solenoid housing with means for inhibiting actuation of the solenoid in the absence of entry of a predetermined code from the ignition switch of the vehicle.
French patent FR2764570 to Duval discloses a keypad controlling a starter relay voltage supply, where the starter motor may further be locked. Anti-theft screws with security lugs are used to avoid dismantling of the starter.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,376 to Labelle, discloses a housing, which is connectable to the starter motor casing, and serves as enclosure to a control circuit. U.S. Pat. No. 6,227,158 to Labelle discloses a similar arrangement for the starter solenoid, U.S. Pat. No. 6,116,201 and WO0071395 to Labelle teach the use of the starter solenoid housing itself as enclosure for an integrated security chip.
Also of prior art of interest are devices which are used to control the security system. These include, U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,638 which discloses a hand-held transmitter, French Patent No. FR2769562 which discloses the use of an RF signal, U.S. Pat. No. 6,069,411 which discloses the use the Electronic Serial Number of a cellular phone as an ID code, U.S. Pat. No. 5,808,543 which discloses such a system dependent on a radio frequency identification device badge usually used in vehicle key systems, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,008 which teaches a voice or password recognition control of the starter solenoid.
Despite the use of the above devices, thieves nevertheless find ways and means of overcoming (e.g., by bypassing) the various protection devices. Mechanical locking devices are broken and by-passed, cut-off valves are circumvented or disabled, electronic engine immobilizers are hot-wired and even sophisticated anti-theft systems are overcome by key-theft or lock picking. A recently observed theft method involves a replacement kit for the vehicle Engine Control Unit (ECU), which is used to bypass the whole security system. A thief equipped with a pre-prepared replacement kit, a key and a key decoder, can fit the unit within minutes and drive away with the vehicle.
It is thus appreciated that the non-accessibility of the anti-theft system to the thief is of utmost importance. Furthermore, it is important that such non-accessible system would be protected against bypassing. Many known physically armored devices are aimed at protecting the vehicle via starter disabling methods. Such devices may be categorized into two groups, built-in control devices, destined to be integrated within the solenoid housing, and add-on armored control devices, destined to be mounted over the solenoid housing. Built-in control devices require re-design of the starter solenoid for new vehicles, or the exchange of a solenoid or solenoid-starter assembly in pre-existing vehicles.
Add-on armored control devices according to prior art require very large protective covers that may interfere with engine compartment serviceability and with proper ventilation of the engine bay. In addition, installation of presently known add-on armored control devices is very complicated, if at all possible, in existing vehicles. Furthermore, prior art built-in or add-on control devices may be unable to withstand the harsh environmental conditions typical of vehicle engine compartments.
There is thus a widely recognized need for, and it would be highly advantageous to have, a system for preventing vehicle theft devoid of the above limitations.